Lots Of Advice Needed

[Akal Purkh Ki Fauj]

I went vegetarian about 5 months ago, i've been weight training for a few years and ate lots of eggs, tuna, salmon and of course chicken. When i did stop eating meat i needed to find an alternative protein source. Cottage cheese is great. Soy products are essential to a vegetarian diet. Get a decent protien shake. Lots of dal and rajma! You will basically have to read the labels of everything you buy. Other posters have mentioned snickers and mars. Also be careful of gelatin, not only is it found in most yogurts but it is also present in many vitamin and health pills. If you eat cheese, makesure it is not made with RENNET. Rennet is from a baby cows stomach. Choose cheese made from microbial cultures. Bottom line read every label and good luck.

Great advice! :TH:

& ps. To the Non Veggies, take a minute before you post pointless messages

[sitargirl]

i dont usually wear my turban into theatre, i will just have a keski/patka on, over the top i will put one of them blue headgear bandana things (lol im not sure what exactly they are called but i will check 2moro) they are tied at the back. like penji above said, i want to wear something over my keski/patka because i dont want any blood to get on it (just incase)

ive seen a plastic surgeon singh who had his hair in top knot and didnt have a keski, but put one of these same blue bandana like things on and tied it at the back.

Its called a surgical cap....

For people on sikhsangat its not an actual cap....its like a blue cotton cloth....You can see some pics of different types here. One of our consultant wears a mickey mouse one. lol. http://images.google.com/images?q=surgical...sa=N&tab=wi The blue ones I wear in theatre are disposable so u wear it and throw it away!

I don't think its a problem I cover my head with it. I don't take my keskhi off, I just put it on top. I think people who wear dastaar however take their dastaar off cos the cap is too small...but I am pretty sure u can order bigger surgical caps...

[Mista Singh]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

This is Chardi Kalaa.

Penji check out http www.hollandandbarrett.com its like veggie heaven up in there..The Sangat have given great advise, also look out for cochineal, its crushed beetles which is used a colouring, usually found in drinks and juices. Just remember to read the ingredients on everything you buy and always look out for the "V" sign and "Suitable for Vegetarians" sign.

Erm one more thing stay away from Quorn, although it says its for veggies, all of their products contain egg.

Check out this site http://www.vrg.org/ i found it very helpful.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

[sherlsurj]

wow 1stly well done!!!thast amzaing, diet theres loads u can get from supermarkets iceland r suppose to be good. as for phaat just upload or is it download...hmmmm...well u know what i mean some on ur phone. so when u have some spare time u can just play it. simran simple too thats how i 1st got into sikhi.

[maltonak47]

i noticed that ur in the UK... i'm originally from Canada but studying med in UK rite now... i've noticed that they hav a really good system for pointing out key ingredients and like somebody mentioned its good to look out for the "V - suitable for vegetarians" sign BUT they hav a section on the back... it mostly says "Contains:.." mostly points out eggs, wheat, gluten... common allergens n stuff... its really ez to shop in the grocery stores here...

Tesco is probably one of ur best stops... they have a vegetarians section mostly with the frozens... n they have Tesco brand veg products... vegetarian mince...burgers ..all kindsa stuff... i think if u were a meat n egg eater before... its also beneficial to switch to soy milk... u hav to develop a taste for it... but it will give u a good amount of protein that ur body mite b used to...

other than that... welcome to the family...

[IKB]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

Wow, what can I say thanks to everyone to all of their replies so far. I really appreciate the help and everyone making me feel so welcome, I dont have any sikh friends let alone gursikhs who can help me, and also have not plucked up the courage to talk to anyone at the gurdwara yet, so at the moment I am relying solely on cyber sangat, and you all have been so fantastic. If any of you had known me you would know my life although its not bad, i'm a good girl it was definately not very chardi kala at all, so this is a massive change for me, and I know it will take time and I have to take it slowly.... people will be suprised when they start to realise!

So I have been looking at every label and taking my own food into university already, its amazing how much stuff has rennet or eggs, or gelatin or all the other things people have mentioned, Ive been writing down everyones advice and trying to follow everything as much as I can. I am in hospitals a lot, so will definately get advice about jumping straight into this!

Hopefully, I will be able to start meeting some people on the same path and get some support and meet some new friends, although at Warwick university, the campus is in coventry and I go to bebe nanaki gurdwara as much as possible, so anyone has any info on programmes around these areas please let me know, or if you see me wondering around a bit clueless and looking lonely say hi!

As for paath, gosh I am a bit confused so much to learn! I cant read punjabi and so am trying romanised versions and taking it slow, does it get easier and easier to wake up that early... especially will long medical school days? Anyway I am trying my best and hope it will become easier and easier. Any advice again would be much appreciated.

I just want to say and thank you all so much for your advice on diet, on the army, and life as a medic as well... I still can't believe how suddenly my life feels changed in one night, its amazing .

Thank you

As for tesco ... I definately agree really helpful... spent about an hour looking at the labels today... didnt even buy anything, what an interesting use of my spare time !

[IKB]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

I just thought i'd update everyone but also ask for a bit more help.... this past week I have found very hard, you practically can't hardly eat out anywhere, and with my long long days and trying to think of food, and trying to get up so early! But today I went to the supermarket and hopefully got things I can start taking with me... but its a bit worrying because some things you cant tell if there is animal fat or maybe eggs...

apart from the obvious what other things should i be looking out for on the labels?

I definately think there is a gap on this forum for a thread about diet changes ... especially for newbies like me who practically ate everything before... or is there already one like that somewhere?

As for the mornings and fitting everything in... any advice ... anyone....

Thanks in advance

xxx

PS. Is anyone going to the london AKJ programme in a few weeks?

[Laadli Fauj]

gawd,

jus eat roti till u figure it out

[sitargirl]

About the food....I know sher-e-moreau seemed rude but honestly its so much easier, tasty and healthier to take roti and sabji wid you. Hospital food is expensive and disgusting and if ure at a hospital like me then its jacket potato all the time with the odd days you eat a sandwich. If you carry on eating like this then u then end up constipated cos u not had enough fibre. Also oh yea malnutritioned!

There are 3 things we veggie people must be careful about. So we must have the below in our weekly diet.

1. Protein = lentils, nuts etc

2. Iron = saag, spinach salad etc

3. Vitamin B12 = Milk, lasi, dhai etc

I've taken sabji and roti to uni and its not a big deal at all. Also since ure getting up earlier in the morning you have the time to fit it in....it doesn't add anything on ure day. And I have found I can save time by eg.not going on msn which gives me at least 30 mins more time plus things like facebook and removing yourself off forums....I honestly believe we have a lot of time but we waste it..

[IKB]

Thanks very much for your replies, unfortunatly although it should be things arent as black and white, especially with the life I have, but your right no point wasting time on forums writing about it.